Help for the High Cost Areas

Nice! O thinks of everything!

The most important 8 minutes you will spend today.

I just heard this on NPR about a half hour ago, and it's chilling. However, it makes sense. "Atts a nice global economy ya got there... It would be a shame if something were to happen to it." And for this we can thank the Repugnicans and de-regulation. And no, it's not Dodd and Rengel's fault.

So we can piss and moan... and drag our feet. But in the end, this will only cost us more.

Amputate.

Now.

Jamie Lee Rocks!

I just KNEW I liked this woman... now I know why.

Free Markets and YOU!

The free market at work for you. I once sat in a consulting meeting with a large company in SF and they agreed that the best ROI of their money was in lobbying government. Nice.

Nationalize, Stabilize, Return. (Rinse, Repeat)

Ding! And compared to what the free markets have given us... I'm thinking nationalization of a few of our more baseline assets is probably a good thing.

Got SATAN?

Lady with Satan here, Lady with Satan... clear the aisles... move away from the baptismal font... (thanks, Jean!)

I love Dorothy!

This cartoon perfectly suits my mood today.

The Taliban at Work for YOU!

I'm sorry, but there's ignorance, and there's pure, unadulterated, 200 proof ignorance. I just DO NOT understand this thing about women being stepped on by Muslim men. Just plain don't get it.

Sounds right to me...

Oh, well here's some cheery news! I'd like to thank the academy of deregulators and fixers over the past 29 years...

Feed the Risk Takers

Yes, it's time for GM to throw in the towel. Sooner or later, with or without the funding... they will disappear. It's time to do triage and amputate.

Uh-oh... New Hip Term Alert!

Are YOU Shovel-Ready?

Gettin' all Chez Panissie wit it...

Were I better organized, I think I would start growing my own garden... I guess I should. Maybe get a goat or two. A chicken coop. Some Alpacas to weave my own clothes... (Thanks to the remarkably self-sufficient Jean Adler for this article.)

Pond Pond Everywhere a Pond...

I'm all for the smaller sushi.

Oh Norm... What HAPPENED, DOOOOOOD?

It does NOT get much better than this. Certainly reminds me of the guy *I* used to get weed from back in the day. (Thanks, Carol!)

Sink or Swim

My little sister just turned me onto this. Linda came to Kate's house today to buy a dining room table she had for sale! (Daft!)

Helen Fisher

This was a great interview with Helen Fisher today on Forum on KQED. Didn't get to listen to the whole thing, but what I did hear was fascinating. Check it out!

LOVE Gwen and Dave (and now maybe Kamala!)

Check this out! I'm going to find out more about Kamala!

The Bad Plus

(I wonder if my blog here is superfluous to FB... probably not. FB is like push... this is pull. )

Anyway, this is probably the most interesting 6+ minutes you'll spend today. This jazz trio + singer does some incredibly interesting arrangements of pop songs. You'll hate it or you'll love it... but you can't ignore it!

Amen! The Solution is Obvious!

I am so glad that Kathleen has taken up this cause. It's just plain SILLY. Regulated it, control it, educate the masses, put the drug dealers out of business and back in school where they belong, cut the legs off the Taliban, and empty the jails of harmless people. Now, please.

This is just plain sick.

I'm sorry, but who do they think they are? $39B, and they'll shave 47,000 jobs? I don't get it? It's like holding up the bank, and shooting all the witnesses.

The Bees Will Arrive

Truthfully, I'm surprised they haven't done it yet. And no, Repugnicans... it's NOT because W and Cheney were in charge. (rolls eyes)

Got Security?

This is an interesting article about internet security which continues to elude us. As always, it's a tradeoff between privacy and security. Thank you, terrorists! You ROCK! :(

Love will prevail.

Ken Starr needs a telephone pole shoved right up his ass and twisted. Mmmm... can you say SPLINTERS? (sorry, sorry... TMI...)

Gamble

This was a great interview today on Fresh Air. It's so funny how the old guard sees every problem as a nail because they only have a hammer. I wonder what a fresh approach to Israel and Palestine might be with people looking at the problem differently.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I'm sorry, I just had to pass this on... I guess delusion is a hard thing to shake. Hey, all you Republicans out there... please be sure to send in your money to John! That way a viable candidate won't get any of your hard earned dollars. Oh wait... you were all in the market? Had a lot of Lehman bonds? Awwwww... Too bad for your team. Hey, there's this new thing out there that you might want to tell John about... it's called the "in-ter-net".

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!


Being the Republican nominee for President was one of the great honors of my life and an experience I will never forget. Some have wondered, after my hard fought presidential campaign, if I plan to run for re-election to the United States Senate.

I want you to know that I do intend to seek re-election. The magnitude of the financial crisis that many American families are facing makes it clear to me that I want to continue to serve our country in the Senate.

The economic challenges currently confronting our nation are immense and unfortunately, the Democrats in Congress propose addressing these challenges through increased spending that wastes billions of taxpayers dollars and saddles our children and grandchildren with a staggering debt. Their proposals will not stimulate economic growth or create jobs. While the leader of the Democratic Party, President Obama, has pledged to change business as usual in Washington and spoken of bipartisanship, I have been saddened to watch as Congressional Democrats try to use their majority to advocate more of the same failed policies and wasteful spending of the past. With so much at stake, now is not the time to step away from my work in the Senate.

As always, I anticipate a tough re-election challenge. But with your help, we will counter those efforts and put forth an aggressive campaign by registering new voters, reaching out to Democrats, Independents and Republicans, and again earning the support of Hispanic and Native American voters in Arizona.

I am honored to serve the people of Arizona as their United States Senator. I would be most appreciative of your support of my re-election efforts and hope you will click here to join my re-election team. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

John McCain

PS: I hope you will join "Friends of McCain" today by logging on to www.FriendsofMcCain.com and donating $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 or more to my re-election campaign.

The Repugnicans STILL can't shoot straight!

I love it! Meg Whitman for the Republican candidate for Governor of California. This is the woman who's company, just after she left, announced 2000 layoffs back in... (wait for it... wait for it....) early OCTOBER! Yes, the woman who helped steer eBay into the toilet... wants a job as Governor. Wanna see the stock on her watch? Here ya go! I can see the television ads now... oh this is wonderful! We've needed a fix of Republican incompetency since Bush left... Thank you, Meg! Getting the TiVO ready for the Daily Show RIGHT NOW!!

No Work? No Worries! SERVE!

This is a great editorial. Service to the world has been sorely absent ( OK, W... I'll give you Africa and AIDS - still doesn't make up for it. Sorry. ) As I've told a relative with a child coming home to live after not being motivated enough to stay in school and work hard: Make sure she's out of the house working in the service of others for eight hours a day. She may not have a job, but that's not an excuse to not work and sit home and watch TV. If you can't work, serve.

Legacy

This is a beautifully written piece, with a lovely message. Suggested reading for all parents.

Legalize Marajuana - NOW!

I have to agree with Kathleen here. I think herb is about as harmful as liquor is. Used appropriately, it's fine, and you should not have to go to jail for it. Get a clue, people.

The Challenges of Children

I could have used this article about 18 years ago... but, come to think of it, I probably would have not understood, and ignored its advice anyway. Much in the same way that people said "get your sleep now!", and I didn't know what they were talking about...

Wow! I never thought of that!

Tough Love vs. Spanking - Good Argument


Most of the American populace thinks it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of 'those moments.'

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.


Some say it's the vibration from the car, others say it's the time away from any distractions such as TV, Video Games, Computer, IPod, etc.


Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together. Eye to eye contact helps a lot too.


I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

Sincerely,
Your Friend



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This works with grandchildren,
nieces, and nephews as well.

Lindsay Mac!

Well folks, that was an incredible concert last night. To all my friends in LA, you could do much worse than getting out to see Lindsay tonight (Monday, February 2nd, 2009) at The Hotel Cafe. She totally kicked it, and her percussionist Mona, is worth the price of admission alone. I promise you a magical evening that, while you may hate me tomorrow morning (I hate MYSELF this morning), you won't forget for a long time to come.

If you can make it out there, do!

Yes, how DO you know?

Dear Sirs: In view of what seems to be happening internationally with banks, at the moment, I was wondering if you could advise me correctly?? If one of my checks is returned marked "insufficient funds," how do I know whether that refers to me or to you? Regards, [Worried customer]

Desparate Man Blues

This is so cool. Just watching Joe do "air slide guitar" in the beginning is worth the price of admission.